Lifting Support System

ABSTRACT

A lifting support apparatus and system is disclosed with integrated mounting points for lifting straps. The lifting support apparatus comprises a joint shield and arc proof cover. A cable accessory is placed on the joint shield and surrounded on its sides and top by the arc proof cover. The exposed ends of the arc proof cover allow for the visible inspection of the connectors of the cable accessory. By incorporating mounting points on the joint shield, the lifting straps are prevented from sliding along the arc proof cover or becoming dislodged. Further, the joint shield includes at least one rib on its bottom surface to prevent the joint shield from bending.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/702,133, filed on May 1, 2015, and entitled “Lifting Support,” nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,651,173, which claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 61/989,438, filed on May 6, 2014, and entitled“Lifting Support System.” The contents of the above referencedapplications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The system and methods disclosed herein relate generally to cablesupport apparatuses and systems in the field of high voltage powerconnectors utilized in power distribution systems. Specifically, thesystem and methods relate to a lifting support apparatus fortransporting high voltage power connectors.

BACKGROUND

Electrical distribution networks are critical for the delivery ofelectricity to consumers and businesses from the transmission system.Such a network can include power lines, substations, transformers, andmeters that are interconnected by thousands of miles of undergroundcables. Underground cable accessories, such as cable splices anddisconnectable joints, are racked in underground structures to supportand separate cable runs from each other. Typically, the cableaccessories are installed on rack arms extending from the walls of theunderground structure. These rack arms have various mounting positionswhich allows a splicer to make adjustments as new cable runs or otherequipment are installed in the underground structure. Once a set ofcable accessories are energized it can be time consuming and costly tode-energize the circuit for the purposes of re-positioning, because theprocess can interrupt electricity to residential and commercial areasuntil the procedure is complete.

Due to the critical need for the continual operation of electricaldistribution networks, such problems have not been entirely ignored inthe industry. Generally, a cable accessory rests on a fiberglass jointshield that is used to transport the energized or de-energized cableaccessory. Cables are attached to the connectors of the cable accessory.Because of the restricted space in which cable accessories are normallyinstalled, it can be difficult to use external equipment to lift, move,and/or reposition the fiberglass joint shield and cable accessory.Therefore, the process of moving the fiberglass joint shield and cableaccessory is performed by wrapping nylon straps underneath thefiberglass joint shield. Thereafter, the nylon straps, fiberglass jointshield, and cable accessory are lifted using a crane or winch. However,there is a risk of the fiberglass joint shield sliding out of thelifting straps, because the nylon straps are not securely engaged to thefiberglass joint shield. This causes a serious safety concern, becausethe cables connected to the cable accessory can become partiallydisassembled due to an unsupported cable accessory and cause anelectrical failure.

Yet another problem with the fiberglass joint shield used in the art isthat it does not provide support for the cables attached to theconnectors of the cable accessory. Shielded power cables are sensitiveto bending. Therefore, extreme care must be taken in ensuring that thepower cable is not bent around a small radius or sharp point, because itcan lead to electrical failure of the power cable. The currentfiberglass joint shield used in the art fails to address these concernsbecause it permits a portion of some power cables connected to the cableaccessory to hang over a sharp edge. Therefore, the portion of thehanging cable can bend and result in electrical failure.

Another problem with the fiberglass joint shield used in the art is thatit can easily bend, because it is composed of flexible material. Thisbending allows the lifting straps to slide out of position. In addition,the bending allows the sharp edges of the fiberglass joint shield tocontact some of the cables connected to the cable connector, therebyresulting in an electrical failure.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a joint shield with integratedmounting points. The integrated mounting points prevent the liftingstraps from moving or becoming dislodged during the lifting and movementof the cable accessory.

There is also a need for a joint shield with raised sides and ends. Theraised sides prevent a cable accessory from sliding off the front orback of the joint shield. Similarly, the raised ends prevent the cableaccessory from sliding off the ends of the joint shield. In addition,the raised ends provide a support for at least a portion of some cablesattached to the cable accessory.

Further, cable accessories, such as splices and disconnectable jointsthat are utilized in underground medium voltage applications, aretypically covered in an arc proofing material. This material is arc andtrack resistant and is capable of withstanding exposure to plasma causedby an electrical failure without degrading as defined by industrystandards. The arc proofing serves to protect the cable accessory fromdamage caused by other equipment failure, as well as containing afailure of the cable accessory itself. Currently, the connectors of thecable accessory are individually wrapped with arc proofing material,such as arc proofing tape or a molded boot made of arc proofingmaterial.

A common problem with disconnectable joints is that the sleeve canbecome partially disassembled from the bus bar which can result in anelectrical failure. In order to check for this condition, the arcproofing material must be removed for a splicer to visibly confirm thatthe sleeve is fully installed on the bus bar. Currently, this isaccomplished by either cutting a window into the arc proofing tape or byremoving the molded boot. Cutting the tape poses safety issues, becausethe splicer can inadvertently cut too deep and damage the sleeve orjoint which could cause an electrical failure. Furthermore, removing theexisting arc proof molded boot requires the use of substantial force,because the molded boot wraps underneath the connector of the cableaccessory. The substantial force can cause excessive movement of theconnectors of the cable connector, thereby resulting in an electricalfailure.

Another apparent need in the art is for a removable arc proof cover thatcouples to the joint shield. The removable arc proof cover surrounds thecable accessory and is configured to allow a visual inspection of thecables connected to the cable accessory. The arc proof cover can alsoprotect the cable accessory from external electrical failure, andcontain the electrical failure of the cable accessory within it.

Further, there is a need in the art for a mounting point to secure anarc proof cover to the joint shield.

The art also does not exhibit a grasping point on the joint shield. Thegrasping point allows the splicer to grip the joint shield with theirhand to assist with lifting and sliding the joint shield and itscorresponding cable accessory.

There also exists a need in the art for a rigid support structureunderneath the joint shield. The rigid support structure is configuredto minimize the bending of the flexible joint shield.

SUMMARY

According to various embodiments, a lifting support apparatus and systemare disclosed with integrated mounting points. The lifting supportapparatus comprises a joint shield and arc proof cover. A cableaccessory is placed on the joint shield and surrounded on its sides andtop by the arc proof cover. By incorporating mounting points on thejoint shield, the lifting straps used to reposition the lifting supportare prevented from sliding along the arc proof cover or becomingdislodged. Further, the sides and ends of the joint shield are raised.The raised sides prevent the cable accessory from sliding off the frontor back of the joint shield. The raised ends support at least a portionof some cables attached to the cable accessory. In addition, the jointshield includes at least one rib support. The rib support is composed ofa rigid material and configured to minimize the joint shield frombending.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description makes reference to the accompanying figureswherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a prior art joint shield;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a lifting support apparatus inaccordance with the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a joint shield in accordance with thepreferred embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a top view of the joint shield shown in FIG. 3A in accordancewith the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3C is a bottom view of the joint shield shown in FIG. 3A inaccordance with the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an arc proof cover in accordance withthe preferred embodiment.

Other objects, features, and characteristics of the broad inventiveconcepts disclosures herein, as well as methods of operation andfunctions of the related elements of the structure and the combinationof parts, will become more apparent upon consideration of the followingdetailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A detailed illustrative embodiment of the broad inventive concepts isdisclosed herein. However, techniques, methods, processes, systems, andoperating structures may be embodied in a wide variety of forms andmodes, some of which may be quite different from those in the disclosedembodiment. Consequently, the specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are merely representative, yet in that regard, they aredeemed to afford the best embodiment for purposes of disclosure.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,”“coupled,” or any variant thereof, means any connection or coupling,either direct or indirect, electronic or otherwise, between two or moreelements; the coupling of connection between the elements can bephysical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words“herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used inthis application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not toany particular portions of this application. Where the context permits,words using the singular or plural number may also include the plural orsingular number respectively. The word “or,” in reference to a list oftwo or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of theword: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, andany combination of the items in the list. The following presents adetailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to thefigures.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, shown is a prior art joint shield adaptedto transport a cable accessory, for example, a splice or disconnectablejoint. The joint shield comprises a body and lip composed of flexiblefiberglass material. Typically, a cable accessory (not shown) rests ontop of the joint shield. The cable accessory is part of a powerdistribution system and may be energized or de-energized. As shown, thelip of the joint shield curves upward to prevent the cable accessoryfrom sliding off the back of the joint shield. Further, the ends of thebody of the joint shield are sharp edges. As a result, at least aportion of some power cables (not shown) attached to the cable accessory(not shown) can hang over the prior art joint shield. The connectors ofthe cable accessory are covered in an arc and track resistant material,for example arc proofing tape, or a molded boot made from arc proofingmaterial. The arc proofing protects the cable accessory from damagecaused by the electrical failure of other equipment in the powerdistribution system. In addition, the arc proofing contains theelectrical failure of the cable accessory from damaging other equipment.Generally, the process of moving the cable accessory to another locationof the power distribution system begins with wrapping straps (not shown)underneath the joint shield. Next, the straps, joint shield, and cableaccessory are lifted and moved, either manually or with the assistanceof a crane or winch.

A frequent problem not addressed by the prior art is that there is nolocation on the joint shield to properly secure lifting straps which areoften used in the art to move an energized or de-energized cableaccessory. As a result, the lifting straps can slip or become dislodgedresulting in the joint shield and cable accessory sliding from thestraps and falling. Further, the arc proofing wrapped around theconnectors of the cable accessory prevents a splicer from easilyidentifying whether a connection of the cable accessory has becomedisconnected. Therefore, the splicer must cut a window in the arcproofing tape or remove the molded boot designed to protect the cableaccessory. The process of cutting a window in the arc proofing tape canresult in damage to the cable and/or connector underneath or injury tothe splicer due to a partially energized cable accessory. Similarly, theprocess of removing the molded boot can cause excessive movement thatcan result in electrical failure of the cable accessory. In addition,the sharp edges of the joint shield permits at least a portion of thecables attached to the cable accessory to bend around a small radius orsharp point, thereby causing an electrical failure of the cable.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment provides liftingsupport 100 comprising joint shield 200 and arc proof cover 300. Liftingsupport 100 provides a series of contact support locations designed toallow securement of one or more lifting straps 600 to joint shield 200and in certain environments to arc proof cover 300 for additionalsupport. The inventive concepts disclosed herein eliminate the need forarc proofing tape and a molded boot, common components known in thefield, by providing an arc proofing cover. Arc proof cover 300 isconfigured to surround the cable accessory and allows the splicer toeasily view the connectors of the cable accessory. In addition, arcproof cover 300 provides protection from electrical failure from otherequipment in the power distribution system and contains the electricalfailure of the cable accessory within it.

As shown in FIG. 2, cable accessory 400 is placed on top of joint shield200. Power cables 402A, 404A, 402B, and 404B are coupled to cableaccessory 400. Cable accessory 400 can be a disconnectable joint orother cable accessories known in the art. In turn, joint shield 200 issupported on left rack arm 502A and right rack arm 502B of cable rack500. In the preferred embodiment, joint shield 200 is composed of aflexible fiberglass, however, one of ordinary skill in the art willreadily recognize that various materials of manufacture may be usedincluding those currently known in the art. Joint shield 200 furtherincludes at least one support rib (not shown) to provide a rigidstructural support that minimizes bending when cable accessory 400 isplaced on joint shield 200.

Arc proof cover 300 is preferably coupled to joint shield 200 andsurrounds cable accessory 400. By surrounding cable accessory 400, arcproof cover 300 protects cable accessory 400 from an external electricalfailure caused by equipment installed on a joint shield, either onecurrently used in the art or an embodiment of the inventive conceptsdisclosed herein, supported on left rack arm 504A and right rack arm504B.

As shown in FIG. 2, arc proof cover 300 includes an opening at each endand does not fully wrap the individual connectors of cable accessory400. While such a configuration is preferred, configurations whichfurther envelop and partially enclose cable accessory 400 around thevertical positions of arc proof cover 300 can be employed in certainenvironments. In the broad inventive concepts disclosed herein, theindividual connecters of cable accessory 400 are not wrapped with arcproofing tape. This design allows for a visual inspection of theindividual connectors of cable accessory 400. Arc proof cover 300 canalso be removed from joint shield 200 without requiring movement of theconnectors of cable accessory 400.

Joint shield 200 further comprises at least one mounting point 202, andin this instance four mounting points (two shown) positioned near thecorners of joint shield 200. In the preferred embodiment, lifting strap600 is configured to attach to mounting point 202. Thereafter, theassembly comprising joint shield 200, arc cover 300, and cable accessory400 can be lifted, repositioned, and/or moved. By incorporating mountingpoints into the joint shield, the lifting straps are prevented fromsliding along arc cover 300 or becoming dislodged during the lifting andmovement process. Joint shield 200 includes raised sides and raisedends, which is described in further detail below with reference to FIG.3A and FIG. 3B, to prevent movement of joint accessory 400 placed onjoint shield 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the curved raised ends of jointshield 200 support at least a portion of some power cable 402A.

FIG. 3A depicts a perspective view of joint shield 200 shown in FIG. 2.Joint shield 200 comprises front side 204, back side 206, first end 208,and second end 210. Front side 204 and back side 206 include a raisedportion configured to prevent a cable accessory from sliding off thefront and back side of joint shield 200. First end 208 and second end210 preferably include a raised curved portion. The radius of the raisedcurved portion is configured to support the weight of at least a portionof some of the cables attached to the cable accessory. Joint shield 200further includes at least one mounting point 202. As shown in FIG. 3A,mounting point 202 is preferably an opening in joint shield 200 adjacentto front side 204 or back side 206. A lifting strap (as shown in FIG. 1)is looped into mounting point 202. It would be readily apparent to oneof ordinary skill in the art to use other mounting methods, such as ahook or snapping connectors, without departing from the spirit of thebroad inventive concepts disclosed herein. In an alternative embodiment,the mounting point of the joint shield comprises guides positioned onthe bottom surface of the joint shield and parallel to the ends of thejoint shield. The guide can either extend the length of the ends of thejoint shield or only a portion. In this embodiment, the lifting strap ispositioned between the guides. Furthermore, the guides can include a lipto prevent the lifting strap from dislodging from the guides. In yetanother embodiment, a locking mechanism is snapped or slide onto theguides after positioning the lifting strap. In some embodiments, theguides are provided by a groove in the joint shield, while in anotherthe guides are the rib supports described in detail below with referenceto FIG. 3C.

In the preferred embodiment, joint shield 200 further includes graspingpoint 212 and cover mounting point 214. Grasping point 212 is located ata substantially intermediate position of front side 204. Grasping point212 is preferably an opening in joint shield 200 that is configured toprovide a location for a splicer to grasp by hand and slide or liftjoint shield 200 manually, but can also be configured for manipulationby other tools or even automatic devices. Cover mounting point 214 islocated at a substantially intermediate position of back side 206. Covermounting point 214 is preferably an opening in joint shield 200 that isconfigured to secure a strap. In the preferred embodiment, covermounting point 214 is configured to attach to a strap that secures anarc proof cover to joint shield 200. However, it would be apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art that cover mounting point 214 can beconfigured to attach to a lifting strap or may be omitted, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the broad inventive concepts disclosedherein.

FIG. 3B is a top view of the joint shield 200 depicted in FIG. 3A. Theposition of a cable accessory is secured on joint shield 200 by frontside 204, back side 206, first end 208, and second end 210. Further, theopenings of mounting point 202 and cover mounting point 214 areminimized to restrict the movement of straps attached to the respectivemounting points. This design stabilizes joint shield 200 during thelifting and moving process. As shown in FIG. 3B, the opening of graspingpoint 212 is of sufficient size and dimension to provide access for ahand.

Turning next to FIG. 3C, shown is a bottom view of the joint shield 200depicted in FIG. 3A. Joint shield 200 includes at least one rib support216 adapted to prevent joint shield 200 from bending. In the preferredembodiment, rib support 216 is composed of a rigid non-conductingmaterial like fiberglass. Rib support 216 is positioned on the bottom ofjoint shield 200, such that the broad inventive concepts disclosedherein can replace currently existing joint shields without the need forspecialized tools or equipment. For example, the portion of rib support216 that is supported by the rack arms can be tapered. Although thestructure depicted for providing bend support to joint shield 200comprises two rib supports 216 parallel to front side 204 and back side206, and two rib supports 216 parallel to first end 208 and second end210, it would also be apparent to one skilled in the art that othersupport structures can be used.

FIG. 4 depicts a preferred embodiment of arc proof cover 300 shown inFIG. 2. Arc proof cover 300 comprises top 302, front side 304, and backside 306. Front side 304 of arc proof cover 300 is configured to attachto front side 204 of joint shield 200 shown in FIG. 3A. Back side 306 ofarc proof cover 300 is configured to attach to back side 206 of jointshield 200 shown in FIG. 3A. Arc proof cover 300 can be made fromvarious sizes and shapes to cover cable accessories of various shapes,sizes, and designs. In the preferred embodiment, the height of top 302of arc proof cover 300 is designed for the highest profile cableaccessory. Therefore, in the field, the splicer can cut the arc proofcover to fit a cable accessory with a lower profile. Arc proof cover 300is preferably composed of an arc proofing and track resistant materialthat is flexible. The arc proofing material is preferably aself-extinguishing polymer, comprising a blend of nitrile rubber andPVC, that is compounded with flame retardants. In the preferredembodiment, arc proof cover 300 is installed onto joint shield 200 byflexing front side 304 and back side 306 of arc proof cover 300 overfront side 204 and back side 206 of joint shield 200, respectively. Itwould be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art to attach arcproof cover 300 to joint shield 200 using various other means, such as asnapping means or sliding means, without departing from the spirit ofthe broad inventive concepts disclosed herein.

While the disclosure has been described with reference to the preferredembodiment, which has been set forth in considerable detail for thepurposes of making a complete disclosure, the preferred embodiment ismerely exemplary and is not intended to be limiting or represent anexhaustive enumeration of all aspects of the broad inventive conceptsdisclosed herein. It will be apparent to those of skill in the art thatnumerous changes may be made in such details without departing from thespirit and the principles of the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Itshould be appreciated that the inventive concepts are capable of beingembodied in other forms without departing from its essentialcharacteristics.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lifting support apparatus, comprising: at leastone raised side; at least one raised end; a body; a substantially rigidstructural support; and at least one mounting point.
 2. The liftingsupport apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover coupled to theat least one raised side, wherein the cover comprises: a top; and atleast one side.
 3. The lifting support apparatus of claim 2, wherein thecover is composed of an arc resistant material.
 4. The lifting supportapparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one raised end issubstantially curved.
 5. The lifting support apparatus of claim 1,wherein the structural support comprises at least one rib parallel tothe at least one raised side.
 6. The lifting support apparatus of claim5, wherein the structural support further comprises at least one ribparallel to the at least one raised end.
 7. The lifting supportapparatus of claim 1, wherein the body is composed of fiberglass.
 8. Thelifting support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one mountingpoint is an opening in the body.
 9. A lifting support system comprising:a joint shield comprising: at least one raised side; at least one curvedend; a body; a structural support; and at least one mounting point; anarc proof cover comprising: a top; at least one side; and wherein thearc proof cover is coupled to the joint shield; and at least one strap.10. The lifting support system of claim 9, wherein the at least onemounting point is an opening in the body and adjacent to the at leastone raised side.
 11. The lifting support system of claim 9, furthercomprises a grasping point.
 12. The lifting support system of claim 11,wherein the grasping point comprises an opening in the body.
 13. Thelifting support system of claim 9, wherein the at least one strap iscoupled to the at least one mounting point.
 14. The lifting supportsystem of claim 9, wherein the arc proof cover comprises at least onemounting point.
 15. A lifting support system comprising: a joint shield;an arc proof cover; at least one strap; and a cable connector.
 16. Thelifting support system of claim 15, wherein the cable connector ispositioned on the joint shield.
 17. The lifting support system of claim15, wherein the joint shield comprises: a structural support.
 18. Thelifting support system of claim 17, wherein the structural supportcomprises at least two parallel ribs, wherein the ribs are tapered. 19.The lifting support system of claim 18, wherein the at least twoparallel ribs comprise a lip portion.
 20. The lifting support system ofclaim 18, wherein the at least one strap is positioned in an areabetween the at least two ribs.